There may have been many reasons you took up drumming, but was improving your health one of them?
Research has shown that there are a multitude of physical and mental benfits to drumming...read on to find out about a few of them!
Extra Cardio
One of the most obvious health benefits is that drumming is a form of cardio exercise.
Actually, you'll burn the same number of calories (roughly 270 for a 70kg person) in an hour of drumming as you would in an hour walking at 3mph - more if you're playing vigorously!
The fact that drumming offers a full body workout has resulted in the creation of specific drumming cardio classes such as Pound and Drumnbounce.
Gigging provides a good, solid couple of hours of cardio workout - this is my FitBit monitoring of the second set of one of my gigs recently (with the accompanying setlist)...as with any form of exercise, the more you train, the fitter you get.
Brain Boost!
Playing an instrument (and even listening to music) increases brain activity, as demonstrated by various studies using MRI scanning.
In fact, playing an instrument such as drums uses the whole brain, resulting in an increase in grey matter...no wonder we're so darned clever!
Anti-stress, anti-ageing...
Drumming also decreases stress & boosts the immune system and can reduce the effect of ageing.
Due to the nature of drumming in terms of focus and concentration, it can be considered to be a type of meditation (albeit not the quiet type!), and the mindfulness (staying in the moment) involved can help in the fight with depression.
Here's what Chris, one of our mailing list subscribers, told us about drumming and his health...
"I started drumming when I lost my job in 2014. I took lessons, did ok, joined a band, and we had about a dozen songs under our belt.
"Then I had a stoke. I had never gigged but the thought of doing so kept me going. I had lost the use of my left hand and arm, but I persuaded the Stroke Team to incorporate the drums into my rehab. They were reluctant at first, but as we went through together, they bought into the concept.
"Things went well and I joined another band, but I found the nerves just practising crippling. I have just got another kit to practise on and start lessons again on the 22nd. So I'll have another go.
"I am 60 years old. And I am living proof that "drumming is good for you"!"
We wish Chris all the best for his continuing recovery, and his return to drumming.
Add your comments on the benefits that drumming gives you below...